As the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti has come and gone with little attention in the US media, we wanted to take a moment t

As the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti has come and gone with little attention in the US media, we wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that situation remains dire. One group who quickly answered the call for help was Renaissance Project.

The Renaissance Project was created by Haitian grassroots community organize Gerthy Lahens and Jan Wampler, a Professor of Architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They have developed plans to build self-sustaining village settlements throughout the country and already purchased a location for their first one - they just need to raise some additional funds so they can break ground.

Please take a moment to learn more about their incredible venture and see how you can help. You can download a PFD presentation of the plans here.

Watch a short video interview with the founders of Renaissance Project

Mission and goals of Renaissance Project are:

Totally self-sustaining villages including schools

▪ Establish a vital, self-sustaining resource for Port-au-Prince, including housing for 1,000 people.▪ Develop the local skills required to foster microeconomies.▪ Create a place of learning for 400 Haitian students, including housing for at least 100 boys and 100 girls.▪ Tap into or create sustainable resources for food, water, and energy to make a self-sufficient community off of the grid.